(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a spring hinge for eyeglasses which enables a temple to fit onto a temporal and to open and close with a moderate resistance.
(2) Prior Art
In order to solve a problem of splipping down of eyeglasses due to perspiration on a face, a spring hinge with a structure for fitting onto a temporal was conventionally provided.
As shown in FIGS. 35 to 37, for example, the spring hinge had a structure in which an armor-side hinge member (c) comprising a joint member (b) projectingly mounted to a pedestal (a) and a temple-side hinge member (e) with a spring coil (d) inside and a screw (f) by which the armor-side hinge member (c) and the temple-side hinge member (e) were pivotally connected to each other so that they could be opened and closed.
To be more specific, as shown in FIGS. 36 and 37, the temple-side hinge member (e) was so structured that a sliding body (h) of a sliding member (j) comprising a joint member (i) projectingly mounted to the tip of the sliding body (h) was contained in a case (g) which was formed long and narrow in a direction of length of a temple and one end of the case is kept open. Further, at the end of the above mentioned case (g), an engaging pin (u) was mounted to walls (k,k) facing to each other, and the coil spring (d) was mounted between the engaging pin (u) and a spring support member (m) mounted at the rear end of the above mentioned sliding body (h), so that a certain length of the sliding body (i) could be drawn from the case (g) against elasticity compression of the coil spring (d).
Furthermore, in order to fix the temple-side hinge member (e) to a temple (n), the inner surface of the rip of the temple (n) was cut off at a part facing to an outside opening of the case (g) to form a concavity (o), a periphery (p) of the opening of the case (g) was put into contact with a periphery (q) of the concavity (o), and the joint thereof was brazed. The concavity (o) was formed with an intention to reduce the thickness of the case (g) as much as possible by jointly using a containable space (r) of the case (g) and the concavity (o).
As mentioned above, the conventional spring hinge was a sliding-type spring hinge in which the armor-side hinge member (c) and the temple-side hinge member (e) were connected to each other by a screw (f), and a sliding body (h) was constructed to be slidable by receiving momentum of the coil spring (d), however, there were the following problems.
As the other form of the above mentioned spring hinge, a spring hinge provided with a plate spring is presented as publisized in the laid-open patent No. 10-133153. The plate spring hinge has a structure in which an armor-side joint member (B) mounted to an armor (A) and a temple-side joint member (D) mounted to a temple (C), are combined with each other as shown in FIG. 38. The armor-side joint member (B) has a joint portion (F) which projects at a position apart from an inner surface (E) of the armor, and an oblong pin hole (G) is provided at the joint portion (F). The above mentioned temple-side joint member (D) consists of a box-shaped support pedestal (H) projectingly mounted on the inner surface of the temple, and a plate spring (I) is projectingly mounted forward while the plate spring (I) is fixed at a rear end of the box-shaped support pedestal (H). When a front end (J) of the plate spring (I) is in contact with an outer surface (K) of the joint portion (F), the temple (C) presents an unfolded state, in which the joint members (B) and (D) are pivotally mounted to each other with a screw pin (L) which pierces the pinhole of the temple-side joint member (D) and the oblong pinhole (G).
An outward unfolding action of the temple (C) is done by the above mentioned joint portion (G) which flexibly transforms the above mentioned plate spring (I). In this occasion, the above mentioned screw pin (L) moves along the oblong pinhole (G) as shown in FIG. 39. When the temple (C) is folded, a corner tip (M) of the above mentioned joint member (G) comes into contact at a joint with the front end (J) of the plate spring (I) which causes flexible transformation of the plate spring (I). When the temple (C) is folded to a certain extent as shown in FIG. 40, the temple (C) is flexibly and quickly turned by the momentum action of the plate spring (I) a shown in FIG. 41, then finally comes to a folded state with the tip (N) being in contact with the lense rim (O) as shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. Under this folded state, the above mentioned corner tip (M) of the joint member (F) is also in contact at a joint with the above mentioned front end (J) as shown in FIG. 42.
As mentioned above, the former spring hinge using a coil spring (d) was a slide-type spring hinge in which the armor-side hinge member (c) and the temple-side hinge member (e) were connected to each other by a screw (f), and a sliding body (h) was constructed to be slidable by receiving momentum of the coil spring (d), however, there were the following problems.
{circle around (1)} The above mentioned spring hinge was so constructed that the sliding body (h) equipped with the coil spring (d) was placed in the case (g). Therefore, even if the concavity (o) was provided as shown in FIG. 37, the case (g) in a box shape structurally occupying a certain space considerably projected at the inside of the temple (n), which was conspicuous, wherefore there was a problem of bad appearance.
Further, in recent years, since great importance is attached to light weight eyeglasses, slenderly structured eyeglasses are highly regarded such as eyeglasses with slender temples, rimless eyeglasses so-called xe2x80x9ctwo-pointxe2x80x9d, in which temples are directly connected to lenses, rimless eyeglasses in which lenses are supported with cord which is connected to curving frames. However, in such slender temples to form slim eyeglasses, it was difficult to install the above mentioned box-shaped spring hinge in respect of space for installation. Even if the installation was possible, the spring hinge did not match the slender temples in respect of size, and was against a requirement of updated fashion of eyeglasses in recent years in which great importance is attached also to visual impression of light weight. Further, in the spring hinge with the above mentioned structure since the momentum of the coil spring was strong, there were such fears that a lense was burdened when the temple opened flexibly and the rim might be deformed or the lense might be broken.
{circle around (2)} Furthermore, as mentioned above, the conventional spring hinge was so constructed that the armor-side member (c) and the temple-side hinge member (e) were connected to each other by the screw (f) so that the both members could be opened and closed. However, each time the temple was opened and closed, rotational action worked on the screw (f) while the eyeglasses are in use, by which the screw might loosen and the temple (n) might fall by its self-weight without intension of a wearer of the eyeglasses. As a result of repeatedly happening of this kind of event, there was a fear that plating of a lense rim (t) might fall off with the shock caused by an end (s) of the temple (n) colliding with the lense rim (t). In addition, there was a fear that the lense and the modern might be damaged.
As described above, in the conventional spring hinge, improvement in fitting performance of the temple by spring action, was taken into consideration, however, the spring action had nothing to do at all with dissolution of the above mentioned problem accompanied by the unintended fall of the temple.
The latter spring hinge provided with the plate spring (J) also had problems as mentioned below.
{circle around (1)} Since the plate spring (I) is flexibly transformed each time the temple is folded and unfolded as shown in FIG. 40, there was a problem that the spring action of the plate spring was easy to be deteriorated.
In addition, since the above mentioned flexible transformation of the plate spring (I) is done by the corner tip (M) of the joint portion (F) pressing the plate spring (I) while the plate spring (I) and the corner tip (M) are in contact at a point with each other as shown in FIG. 40, there was a problem that the joint portion (F) and the plate spring (I) were easy to wear because of a pressing force at a point during folding and unfolding actions of the temple. Because of repeat of such flexible transformation and wear of the plate spring as mentioned above, the spring hinge provided with the plate spring was inferior in terms of durability, and had no practical use as a spring hinge which must guarantee frequent folding and unfolding actions of the temple.
{circle around (2)} Further, when the temple is folded, the temple quickly turns toward the folding direction by the spring force of the plate spring (I) after passing the state as shown in FIG. 40, and the tip (N) of the temple collides with the lense rim (O) and/or the lense, and so on, by which there was a problem that plating of the lense rim was easy to fall off and/or the lense and the modern are easy to be damaged.
{circle around (3)} Furthermore, since folding and unfolding of the temple is accompanied by the flexible transformation of the plate spring (I), the above mentioned temple-side joint member (D) is constituted using the box-shaped support pedestal (H) which substantially projects at the inside (P) of the temple taking room for the flexible transformation into consideration.
Therefore;
1) Because the plate spring (I) being mounted to form a pressing state against the joint member (F) from the outside of the armor bends and transforms when the temple is folded and unfolded as mentioned above, a thickness of the box-shaped pedestal (H) is determined so that the thickness can be cover the bending volume. However, since the bend and the transformation is substantial, the box-shaped support pedestal has to be made substantially projectingly toward the inside of the temple. Further, since the screw pin (L) moves back and forth within the oblong pinhole (G) when the temple is folded and unfolded, the spring hinge as a whole has to be made long to and fro. Furthermore, a tall armor-side joint member (B) provided with the projecting joint portion (F) at a place apart from the inner surface of the armor was required.
For the above reasons, a special space became required at the inside of the plate spring and the backside of the plate spring and waste of space was brought about, which led to large-sized of the spring hinge. And, because of this enlarged spring hinge, there was a problem that the spring hinge was conspicuous and so presented very bad appearance.
2) In recent years, since great importance is attached to light weight eyeglasses, slenderly structured eyeglasses are highly regarded such as eyeglasses with slender temples, rimless eyeglasses so-called xe2x80x9ctwo-pointxe2x80x9d, in which temples are directly connected to lenses, and rimless eyeglasses in which lenses are supported with a cord which is connected to curving frames. However, in such slender temples to form slim eyeglasses, it was difficult to install a joint member provided with the above mentioned large-sized box-shaped support pedestal in terms of space for installation. Even if the installation was possible, it did not match the slender temples in terms of the size, and was against a requirement of updated fashion of eyeglasses in recent years in which great importance was attached to visual impression of light weight.
3) Further, since the plate spring flexibly transforms each time the temple is folded and unfolded, and the plate spring is easy to wear by the pressing force under the above mentioned contacting state at a point, it is considered that the plate spring with more than a certain thickness should be provided. However, in case such a thick plate spring is provided, as the momentum of the plate spring is strong, there were such fears that a lense was burdened substantially when the temple is flexibly unfolded and the lense rim might be deformed or the lense might be broken. For these reasons, the spring hinge provided with the plate spring was not able to be adopted to a slender temple.
4) Furthermore, in case the spring hinge is provided with the plate spring, when expansion of a design of eyeglasses are intended, it is required to design and manufacture the box-shaped pedestal individually according to the length of the plate spring and the volume of bend. In addition, since the spring hinge is so constituted that the front end of the plate spring is pressed against the joint portion at the outside of the armor, it is required that the joint portion (F) should be mounted to a place which is widely apart inward from the inner surface (E) of the armor as shown in FIG. 38, and the tall and special armor-side joint member (B), which is mounted substantially apart from the inner surface of the armor, is also required. As such the structure of the spring hinge became extremely special. Therefore, the structure naturally brought about increase in manufacturing const. Even when diversification of a form of spring hinge was intended, the diversification was difficult due to increase in manufacturing cost, and there was a problem that expansion of a design of eyeglasses was difficult also in this respect.
An object of this invention is to solve the following problems and to enable a temple to fit onto a temporal while the eyeglasses are in use by utilizing a required momentum action of a spring member.
Namely, the object of this invention relation to the former spring hinge provided with a coil spring is: {circle around (1)} to form the whole spring hinge compact to present a good appearance, {circle around (2)} to have the momentum of the spring constituting the spring hinge effectively function for improving fitness of the temple onto the temporal and for prevention of unprepared fall of the temple, and of damages to the lense rim, the lense, and the modern, {circle around (3)} to provide a spring hinge which can be mounted even to a slender temple while maintaining a good appearance and at the same time which can provide an appropriate momentum action according to a design of the temple, by which to improve fashion of the eyeglasses with slender temples and to improve function of a slender temple, i. e. to attain fitness onto a temporal and better folding and unfolding action of a slender temple which were not able to be attained in the past, and {circle around (4)} to make the spring hinge simple without causing unnecessary flexible transformation of the spring member to attempt to cut a cost, and to attempt to diversify a design of eyeglasses by simplifying the structure.
According to the present invention, a spring hinge for eyeglasses in which upper and lower connecting members are provided at a temple side to face to each other leaving a predetermined distance in up and down directions, an intermediate connecting member provided at a side of an armor to be inserted between the upper and lower connecting members, and a pivot shaft for pivotably connecting the upper and lower connecting members and the intermediate connecting member, so that a temple may be folded from a predetermined state of open, comprises a spring member provided on the side of the temple; said spring member having a flexible press portion for flexibly pressing, from the inside of the armor, an arc periphery of the intermediate connecting member which arc periphery is formed by a center of the pivot shaft, thereby the temple in the predetermined opened state may be folded and opened while keeping the flexible pressing state. And, folding and opening of the temple, in a state that the flexible press portion contacts the arc periphery of the intermediate member, is carried out not to make flexible deformation of the spring member. Further, a rear portion of the armor presses the spring member from its outerside to its inside so as to flexibly deform or transform the spring member when the temple in a predetermined open state is opened outwardly.
By the way, it is preferable that the spring member is formed to be a line having flexibility and its front portion is formed to be the flexible press portion and its rear end portion or a portion of the spring member adjacent its rear end portion is attached on the side of the temple. In this case, it is preferable that a portion of the flexible press portion, which contacts the arc periphery of the intermediate connecting member, is formed to have a curved face which contacts the arc periphery with contact of face to face.
Another aspect of the spring hinge according to this invention is as follows.
The spring hinge for eyeglasses in which upper and lower connecting members are provided at an armor-side to face to each other leaving a predetermined distance in up and down directions, an intermediate connecting member provided at a side of an armor to be inserted between the upper and lower connecting members, and a pivot shaft for pivotably connecting the upper and lower connecting members and the the intermediate connecting member, so that a temple may be folded from a predetermined state of open, comprises a spring member provided on the side of the armor; said spring member having a flexible press portion for flexibly pressing, from the inside of the temple, an arc periphery of the intermediate connecting member which arc periphery is formed by a center of the pivot shaft, thereby the temple in the predetermined opened state may be folded and opened while keeping the flexible pressing state, and folding and opening of the temple, in a state that the flexible press portion contacts the arc periphery of the intermediate member, is carried out not to make flexible deformation or transformation of the spring member, and also a rear portion of the armor presses the spring member from its outerside to its inside so as to flexibly deform the spring member when the temple in a predetermined open state is opened outwardly.
Further, it is preferable that the spring member is formed to be line having flexibility and its front portion is formed to be the flexible press portion and its rear end portion or a portion of the spring member adjacent its rear end portion is attached on the side of the temple. In this case, it is preferable that a portion of the flexible press portion, which contacts the arc periphery of the intermediate connecting member, is formed to have a curved face which contacts the arc periphery with contact of face to face.
Advantages
The spring hinge according to the present invention has the following effects as well as the advantages that the temple fits onto a temporal while the eyeglasses are in use just like the conventional spring hinge, and in case an object hits the eyeglasses while they are in use, the temple are flexibly expanded and opened to avoid the lenses from breaking.
(1) The spring hinge according to this invention is different from the conventional slide-type spring hinge in a sense that the former utilizes flexibility transformation only, wherefore the structure can be simple and compact. Further, improvement in manufacturing efficiency and reduction in manufacturing cost can also be expected.
The spring hinge can be formed so compact that the spring hinge can be attached well even to a slender temple in terms of appearance, and by fixing a requirement momentum by changing a diameter of a spring, momentum action which is appropriate for a type of a temple, can be obtained. Because of the above mentioned reasons, the flexible expansion and opending force of a temple does not work too much on a lense even in a slender temple. As mentioned above, since the force does not work too much on a lense, even in eyeglasses with a slender structure such as rimless eyeglasses so-called xe2x80x9ctwo-pointxe2x80x9d, in which lenses are directly connected to lenses, and rimless eyeglasses in which lenses are supported with a cord which is connected to curving frames, fears such as breakage of lenses and a bend and deformation of curving frames can be prevented.
As described above, this invention is particularly effective to frames of eyeglasses with slender temples, and can attain improvement in function as well as in fashion.
As the above mentioned spring constituting the spring hinge according to this invention has a structure in which a flexibly press portion of the spring member, flexibility presses an arc periphery of the above mentioned intermediate connecting member, the temples in an unfolded state expanding backwards can be opened and closed with a moderate resistance while maintaining the above mentioned flexibly pressing state.
For the above mentioned reasons, unprepared fall of the temple as in the past can be prevented, falling off of plate of a rim, breakage of a lense, damage to a modern, all of which are caused by the unprepared fall of temples, can be prevented.
(2) According to the invention claimed in claim 1 in particular, as well as attaining fitness of a temple onto a temporal when the eyeglasses are in use by a momentum action accompanied by the flexible transformation of the spring member, the above mentioned problems are solved providing the following remarkable effects which can not be attained by the above mentioned spring hinge provided with the plate spring when the temple is folded and unfolded.
Namely, in the invention of claim 1, since it is adopted that the intermediate connecting member provides an arc periphery which is formed about a pivot shaft and it is so composed that the flexible press portion of the spring member flexibly presses the arc periphery always and that folding and unfolding of the temple while the flexible press portion contacts the arc periphery under pressure, it becomes possible to carry out folding and unfolding of the temple without causing unnecessary flexible transformation of the spring member.
Therefore:
{circle around (1)} There is no fear that the spring member is deteriorated as in the above mentioned spring hinge in which the plate spring flexibly transforms each time the temple is folded and unfolded. In addition, when the temple is folded and unfolded, since it does not happen that the corner tip of the joint portion presses the spring member at a point, wear of the spring member and the intermediate connecting member is controlled by which durability of the spring hinge can be improved.
{circle around (2)} Further, the temple can turn smoothly under a certain fixed flexible pressure when the temple is folded. Therefore, there is an advantage that no such problems are caused as damages on plating of the lense rim, the lense, and the modern, which are caused by a shock at a time when the temple finishes being folded, being accompanied by the quick turn of the temple toward the folding direction as in the spring hinge provided with the plate spring.
{circle around (3)} Furthermore, in the spring hinge according to this invention, since there is no fear that the spring hinge is flexibly deformed or transformed and is deteriorated at times of holding and unfolding of the temple as in the spring hinge provided with the plate spring, it is not necessary to enlarge the size of the spring member to secure a spring function, and the thickness of the spring member can be determined minimum. Still further, since the spring member stays still at times of folding and unfolding of the temple (the spring member does not transform), the spring hinge can be made compact, and the box-shaped support pedestal with a certain high and the tall armor-side joint member provided with an oblong pinhole, etc., which are required for the flexible transformation of the spring member are not required in this invention wherefore the spring hinge can also be made compact.
Therefore, according to this invention as claimed in claim 1, the spring hinge can be made compact showing a good appearance and matching even for the slender temple, while diversification in design can be attained, and the requirement for updated fashion of eyeglasses in these days, in which great importance is attached also to visual impression of light weight, can satisfactorily met.
{circle around (4)} In addition, since specially structured parts such as the joint member provided with the oblong pinhole, the tall armor-side joint member provided with the joint portion, and the box-shaped support pedestal of a required size which fits into the length of the plate spring and the volume of bend are not required, a cut in manufacturing cost and diversification of the design can be attained.
(3) As regards to the invention claimed in claim 2, a difference from the invention claimed in claim 1, is that the intermediate connecting member is mounted to the temple-side in claim 2 while the intermediate connecting member is mounted to the armor-side in claim 1, the peculiar effects of which are the same as the invention claimed in claim 1.
(4) In the invention claimed in claim 3, the spring member in the invention claimed in claim 1 is formed in a line, the peculiar effects of which is the same as the invention claimed in claim 1. However, in the invention claimed in claim 3, in particular, it is a more remarkable advantage that the spring hinge can be made compact to present a good appearance and to fit well to the slender temple.
This is because necessary strength of the spring member can easily be set up by changing the diameter of the line as the spring member is formed in a line.
(5) In the invention claimed in claim 4, the spring member in the invention claimed in claim 2 is formed in a line, the peculiar effects of which is the same as the invention claimed in claim 1. However, in the invention claimed in claim 4, in particular, it is a more remarkable advantage that the spring hinge can be made compact to present a good appearance and to fit well to the slender temple. This is because necessary strength of the spring member can easily be set up by changing the diameter of the line as the spring member is formed in a line.
(6) In the invention claimed in claim 5, the part of the above mentioned flexibly press portion contacting the above mentioned arc periphery in the invention claimed in claims 1 and 2 is formed to contact by surface with the above mentioned arc periphery, the peculiar effects of which is the same as the invention claimed in claims 1 and 2. However, in the invention claimed in claim 5, in particular, there is an advantage that simplification of assembly can be attained and durability of the spring hinge can be improved further, because the curving surface contacting the arc periphery is formed at the flexible press portion.
Namely, in an occasion that the spring hinge related to the invention is constituted, when the intermediate connecting member is inserted between the upper and lower connecting members while fitting each of the holes of these members coaxially, and a pivot axis is pierce through these holes to connect the three connecting members, it can be prevented that the flexible press portion and the arc periphery of the intermediate connecting member slip one another, by which insertion of the intermediate connecting member between the upper and lower connecting members and the connection of the three connecting members by a pivot shaft can be simplified. Further, because of the contact by surface with the curving surface, wear of the intermediate connecting member and the spring member can be decreased in comparison to the state of contact at a point, wherefore there is an advantage that durability of the spring hinge can be improved substantially.
Other advantages of this invention will be apparent from the description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings.